Firefly Wings: A Naruto Fanfic Sequel
by Kyra Odayashi
Summary: SEQUEL! The story of Kyra and Lee continues starting after their first year of marriage. Kyra still has her old friends, along with some crazy new ones from younger years in the academy. Change in POV after first three to four chapters. LeeOC plus others.
1. Typical Mornings

THIS IS A SEQEUL TO MY PREVIOUS FANFIC _Carnation's Voice! _

* * *

Kyra felt a breeze of warm air blow on her hair. Opening one eye, she glanced over at her still sleeping husband. He was facing her across the bed, his bare torso uncovered by the sheets or quilt; his hand was placed on her stomach gently. She opened her other eye and sat up cautiously, trying not to shift the bed too much and wake him up. Her fingers brushed his black hair out of his eyes as she lay there quietly.

_Lee, _she thought while carefully putting her hand under his arm, _He must have come back late last night._ She pushed his arm up slowly off of her stomach so she could slip out from beneath it. He shifted slightly as her weight slid off the bed, clumsily sending a slight shake through the spring mattress. She placed his hand next to his pillow before standing at her full height of five foot four and stretching.

Light from the windows illuminated the master bedroom of the Odayashi-Rock residence, casting a glow over the previous days things. Lee's holster had been placed rather haphazardly on the bedside table; his vest was slipping off the end of the bed and to the floor, and the shirt to his nightclothes that he had forgotten in his exhaustion the night before. She stifled a laugh at the sight of his usual green outfit draped over a chair like always. Grabbing all these things as quietly as possible, she put them in their right place in drawers or closet. Taking one last look at the room before satisfied with how it looked that morning, she slipped out of the door and closed it softly behind her.

Mentally, she grazed over a list of possible breakfasts before settling on one that was always welcome. Her feet hit the cold wood floor step after step as she trekked down the hall to the kitchen. She paused by the mirror and laughed at her shoulder length hair, which at that point was sticking out in every direction, before taking a hairbrush to the tangled mess. She gave up half-way through, resigned to untangling it with water and shampoo later and continued down to the second to last door.

The kitchen was warmer than most of the house, mostly because the heater was behind the door in the corner, and the also the brightest. She took a stained apron from the hook on the back of the door, leaving it wide open as she did, and draped the old fabric over herself. Trying to catch the dangling ties, it took her a few seconds before she managed to tie it in back and start on that morning's breakfast.

It was a typical morning in the Odayashi-Rock residence; whoever woke up first, usually Kyra, made breakfast. Each had several ideas that they didn't share, hoping to keep the other guessing at what they would make, and some that both had known. They both always left the kitchen door open to let the smell drift around the house till it woke up the other as well before they sat down to eat. It was first day in the past week that Lee wasn't cooking for her; she wanted to make his favorite, spicy eggs.

She reached into the back of the refrigerator, digging around for the box of eggs and pulling out around three to four because of Lee's big appetite. Bending carefully to one of the other shelves, she pulled out yogurt and an apple for her own breakfast. She stumbled though the kitchen as she pulled a frying pan from underneath the counter, bent over double. After cracking the eggs, adding what Lee liked in them, and setting them to cook, she opened the cupboard over the sink, pulling out several bottles. She countered out pills to the correct dosage before throwing them into her mouth and swallowing.

Almost gagging on the taste as she usually did, she grabbed a few vitamins and swallowed them as well; she left a few out for Lee. Pulling out a plate from the cupboard, she began to stir the eggs to keep them from burning. She heard the faint sound of the bed creaking, someone falling out like they did every morning, and the squeal of the door opening as they yawned. She smiled as their feet hit the wooden floor in the hall and then the tile of the kitchen.

"Morning, Lee," She felt his arms wrap around her shoulders and his chin resting on her neck affectionately. He stood there for a minute, still half asleep before kissing her on the cheek. She felt one of his hands slip down to rest on her stomach.

"Morning," he replied as she scraped the eggs onto the plate, "You okay with getting up this early? I could make breakfast in the mornings for now." She laughed before turning to face him, a smile on her face.

"I'm fine with it Lee. I'm not getting that sick in the mornings anymore," She handed him the plate, which he took over to the table along with her breakfast. She followed after him and slid down into the chair next to him. "Besides, I don't like sitting around too much, even with the extra weight." She peeled open the foil covering the top of the yogurt, Lee handing her a spoon that he got from one of the drawers nearby. They started eating slowly, pausing every now and then to joke or comment on recent events. Kyra smiled as Lee had to swallow the same vitamins she took with her other medicine; they had agreed that if she took vitamin c and other things, he would as well to keep her happy.

"Any day now," Kyra said, hand resting on her bulging stomach, "After that it's early morning feedings, sleepless nights, and a lot of crying."

"It'll be worth it though," Lee said; Kyra looked over at him.

"Definitely worth it," she replied. He yawned loudly and leaned his elbows against the table. Kyra took his empty dish to the sink and threw the remains of her apple and yogurt in the trash before staring to wash last night's dishes. Her watched her back as he sat there, smiling at the sight of his navy haired wife and their soon to be child. She glanced over her shoulder as he yawned once again.

"Are you okay Lee," she asked; he nodded in reply.

"I'm fine, why?"

"It seems like you aren't getting enough sleep lately," She set the last dish out to dry and turned back towards him, leaning against the counter top for support. "Taking twice as many missions is taking it's toll. You don't have to take my place till I come back; Tsunade would understand if you needed to cut back." Lee stood up and came to stand next to her.

"Don't worry," he said, leaning down to rest his forehead against hers, "I want everything to be set when it's time. That way I can take time off to help take care of him-"

"-or her-"

"-when you need to take a break." He brushed a few strands of messy hair behind her ear before continuing, "I'm just worried about being away for so long when it's almost time." Kyra smiled up at him, her greenish-gray eyes mirroring his own.

"Three days isn't so long," she said, "And you already recruited the jail keepers to help out." Lee laughed as he leaned back, watching her wash the frying pan and spatula.

"That's because it's so hard keeping you from running down to the market or library even in your current state," he said, taking a towel lying on the counter nearby to dry off the pan when she was done, "You should spend your time resting." Kyra handed the pan to him.

"I know," she said, "I'll stay still, I promise. It's not like bribing those two will work-"

"-nice try though-"

"-so I'll be good and stay home," she watched him put away the pan and dishes, "For your sake if anything." Lee bent over and planted a kiss on the lips of his twenty-one year old wife, glad for the excuse to do so. She warmed up to him, wrapping her arms around her neck like always. She raised her head to whisper in his ear.

"But your still not getting out of carrying all the bags while shopping today…" He sighed in resignation; he knew he would never be able to get out of that. He watched her walk off in order to take a shower and tame her messy, morning hair with a smile on both of their faces.

* * *

_HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!_

Sorry it took so long guys! I had a few problems with how I was going to start out on this story. I still hope to redo some of the other one as well though! Things are hectic over here, but I'm pushing through, using every spare moment with my nose in a notebook or reading books (Reading helps get the brain working). I hope you guys liked this chapter as much as I liked writing it. Did the pregnancy take anyone by surprise? Let me know! Bye!!!

-Kyra Odayashi

Special notes:

**This chapter is dedicated to EnduranceInTribulation and Acea (you know who you are)! You two rule! Thank's for reading you guys!!!!** The next chapter will be for you Sariyu-chan and Sayuri-san!


	2. Jail Keepers

"They're here!" Lee stuffed whatever supplies he needed hastily into his travel pack, scrambling to throw on his holster, vest and weapons pouch all at once. Hoisting it all up onto his shoulders, he almost ran out of the bedroom door, nearly running into the guests.

"Morning Sakura. Morning Tenten," he panted, shifting the weight to a more comfortable spot on his shoulder, "Thanks for coming to look after Kyra while I'm gone." They both smiled up at him as they linked arms with their pregnant friend.

"No problem Lee."

"We'll keep her under careful watch,"

"And keep we'll her from leaving the house." They continued to smile as Lee struggled to throw on his sandals by the door, Kyra rolling her eyes at the two of them. Lee finally managed to slip his feet into their correct sandal before turning back to the three of them. Kyra broke the linked trio and stood in front of him.

"See you in three days," he said, bending down to her slightly shorter height and kissing her affectionately. "Be careful, okay?"

"I should be saying that to you," she replied, giving him one last hug before he headed out the open door. "Love you!" she shouted after him; he turned back and shouted back the same reply as always.

"Love you too!" He meant it. She closed the door behind him, turning to what he thought were her jail keepers; She thought of them as her partner's in crime. All rushing to crowd into the kitchen at the same time, her two friends sat down the table as she pulled out a mixing bowl and a new spatula.

"What is it today, girls?" she said, pulling a cookbook out from the drawer, "what type do you want this time for the movies later." She smiled as Tenten and Sakura began disputing over chocolate chip or sugar cookies for the movie they were all going to see later that evening. She timed them carefully with the clock on the wall; if they couldn't come to a compromise or decision, she would pick.

"Three, two, one…done!" she exclaimed, "looks like I'm picking tonight." She flipped the book open to a random page. "Looks like we're having peanut butter fudge cookies this time." The girls groaned from over at the table; Sakura didn't like fudge and Tenten didn't like peanut butter.

"Flip the book again!" Tenten whined, "Anything but that!" Kyra smiled and flipped the book again, landing on walnut cookies. Both Sakura and Tenten agreed as she pulled what she needed out of the cabinets. Time passed quickly as the three talked about anything from fashion, to training, to even Kyra's pregnancy.

"So have you and Lee picked any names?" Sakura stood on her right side, helping set the cookie dough on the trays. Tenten stood by the ovens, watching the temperature as it rose to the correct heat.

"Not really," Kyra said, "We haven't really talked about it to much." Tenten opened the oven door for the two of them to place the trays in.

"Boy or girl?" Kyra shrugged her shoulders as she set the timer. She sat on at the table and sighed, her hand on her stomach.

"I don't know," she replied, "But I'm hoping that either way, the child will be healthy." Tenten and Sakura sat next to her, changing the subject to keep them occupied till the cookies where done.

* * *

Sakura sat up on the sofa, still half asleep. She yawned and stretched her arms, regretting once again for losing and being stuck in the living room again. Today was the day that Lee was coming back from his mission, and the day she got back to her own bed again. She lay back, stretched out comfortably on the pillows and blankets, looking up at the light tan ceiling.

She heard Tenten in the guest bedroom turning on the creaky mattress. Somewhere outside, a dog starting barking at a cat on the fence; she wondered if it was Kiba and Akamaru on a walk. She closed her eyes as she heard Kyra's bedroom door open. Kyra's feet were hitting the floor louder than usual and she sat up again, her feet touching the cold wood floor. Pulling on the robe Kyra had let her borrow, she slipped her feet into her slippers and stood up. She nearly jumped as she heard something hit the table the hall and ran towards the door, throwing it open.

"Sakura-chan," She looked at Kyra as the woman leaned against the table, knocking over the vase of fresh carnations and sending them falling to the floor. Her hair was pulled back in a mussed up ponytail Leaned was breathing deeply with her hand on her stomach. Tenten burst through the door to the guest bedroom and stopped dead.

"Oh my god…"

* * *

_Geez! I almost forgot to put my ote at the end of the chapter...Bad me! Thanks for reading guys! Tell me what you think of this chapter! Thanks to Cyber Porygon for being the first to put it on their alert list!_

_-Kyra Odayashi_

Reviews:

Usagi Toru- Thanks!

**This chapter is dedicated to Sariyu-chan and Sayuri-san!**


	3. Hotaru

"Wait up, guys!" Lee and two girls stopped briefly to look back at the only other boy on the team. He was running towards them, his arm over his stomach. He slowed to a stop, leaning over to rest his hands on his knees in front of his three-man cell. "Can…we please… just slow down…a little…bit?" He panted, looking at his over-enthusiastic teacher and over-confident teammates.

"You should be thanking us," His brunette teammate said. Her short, boyish hair was hidden underneath her bandana. She fingered the charm on her wrist bangle; an obvious sign she was hoping to see her boyfriend as soon as they arrived at the gate.

"Yeah!" the other girl said; her own red hair was secured tightly in a curly bun on the left side of her head. She leaned over to pat her teammate on the pat cheerfully. "This will help you get better!" she encouraged childishly. He glanced up hopelessly at her.

"Easy for you to say Isamu," he said, accepting the water from her, "You're in better shape than I am." He threw the bottle back to her. She tucked it back into her bag and gestured towards the brunette.

"Let's go Hisa!" Hisa smiled and nodded toward her teacher before the two of them took off in the direction of home.

"Youth waits from no one Taku," Lee said, "There's only one more mile to go before we're at the gates. Let's hurry up." Taku sighed and straightened up, finally ready to finish the twenty-three mile jog they had started.

"There's more than just that reason your so eager to get home," Lee smiled guiltily, and continued at a slow jog; his student ran lightly to keep up. "How is she anyway?" Taku continued, "Did she get that medicine my mom sent her to help?" Lee nodded.

"She's been feeling a lot better now," Lee said as the gates pulled into view, "Thank her for us. It's been nice to see Kyra energetic in the mornings." They spotted the waving arms of Isamu from inside the gates and ran a little fast; Hisa was leaning against the wood next to a klutzy, blonde boy with very short spiky hair, her boyfriend Taro.

Lee left the trio to head towards the Hokage's tower -they knew what to do- and headed across the village towards his house. It was almost sunset and he was too impatient to sit through the debriefing in an office. Stopping by a shop first to pick up Kyra's favorite snack, hot red bean buns, he opened the door to his home with a grin on his face.

"Kyra!" He took a step inside, expecting Kyra to stick her head out of the kitchen door and smile at him as she mixed something in one of the metal bowls. He took a step forward when he didn't hear anything and stepped into something wet and cold on the hardwood floor. He steady drip of the overturned vase, the water and flower spilled on the floor next to the small table. There was a piece of paper hastily taped to the mirror.

_Lee, Kyra collapsed this morning. At the hospital now._

Lee ran out the door, the bag of buns still in his hand as he ran as quickly as he could with his weights down the nearly empty streets. Some said hello as he ran past, shocked by his lack of reply. He ran till he burst through the double doors of the hospital glancing around for the nearest nurse.

"Lee!" he turned towards the door to one of the hallways as Tenten waved him over, "She's in her room now." She stated, as she led him down a long white hall.

"What happened, Tenten?" Lee demanded; she didn't respond as she held open the door for him to enter the small single patient room. Sakura was standing with her back to them over by the window as Tsunade stood next to the bed, laughing as Kyra finished acting out a joke. They all stopped as he stood there in the doorway. Kyra smiled up at him from her bed. He hurried over to stand next to her, his hands on both sides of her face.

"What happened?" He rested his head against her forehead and sighed in relief. She moved and kissed him lightly on the lips as Sakura came up behind him so he didn't see her.

"Turn around and see," she said. He looked at her in confusion before turning to face Sakura; she held out a small bundle for him to take, a smile spread on her own face. He looked from Sakura and back to Kyra. She nodded and he took the light bundle from Sakura's arm, sitting down on the chair Tsunade held out to him. Kyra smiled as he looked down into a small face.

"She's cute isn't she?" He glanced back up at his wife as she sat with her back against the headboard. He nodded numbly and she smiled again taking the bundle from his arms to hold it close to her.

"What about a name?" Tenten stood over by the window, opening it a crack to let the cool air rush in. Tsunade frowned disapprovingly before being summoned by a nurse who stuck her head in the door, saying that a familiar blonde genin had fallen down the stairs again. She left the room, closing the door silently behind her.

"I'm not sure…" Kyra looked out the window at the red sunset; the fireflies were starting the glow now. The door burst open again and Kori stumbled in, her hair in a tangled mess from falling once or twice. She tripped over the doorframe, sending her sprawling onto the floor; there was a faint mutter from Sakura.

"Why do we have such a klutzy nurse-?" Lee and Kyra laughed as Kori pulled herself up and came over to the bed.

"Oh, Kyra she's adorable!" she cooed. There was a faint glow coming from her hair. "Ack!" She shook her head, sending a firefly falling onto the bed covers. It quickly picked itself up and flew around, lost in its new surroundings. Sakura cupped it in her hand and took it to the window, letting it fly back out into the cool air. Kori was checking for any more stowaways from her trip into the bushes; she hated any flying bugs.

"Lee?" He looked up at his wife as she tilted her head curiously. He smiled back at her as he looked back down at his now sleeping daughter.

"Hotaru."

* * *

_Ack! Major writers block! Sorry! Sorry it isn't much, but I wasn't quite sure that any other way would have been better. Sorry about the OC's! I didn't know any way to aviod it without the chapter being shorter than I wanted it. Come to think of it, here's a look at the characters and who their designed after:_

_Kyra: She's alot like a girl I met some time ago, and I desided to use her as the main charater (but I looked to keep the hair mavy. I Love navy hair for some reason) So no, Kyra is not based off of me, se's more like a collection of various people._

_Taku: After one of my guy friends. He's a nice guy to be around, often very supportive and brotherly figure to most people in our group. HI ZANON!_

_Hisa: This was my version of what I would be like in the Naruto universe. Boyish hair and energetic. I'm not big on exercise right now, but I'm starting to run more often. I am not boy crazy, I like my boyfriend because he's funny. I'm usually the one that beats up the boys..._

_Isamu: Based off my best friend with the curly hair (but her's isn't red) and playful attitude. She loves to play around and has a LOT of energy to spare (Which she often uses to run me around the house wanting to strangle her) HI MAKO!_

_Taro: My boyfriend...sorry 'bout that. I thought I'd make him klutzy (oh wait...he really is) HI JANGO!_

**Reviews:**

-Acea: Thanks Acea! I'll write more as soon as Jazz band lightens up!

Dedicated to Mako, Jango, and Zanon!!!


	4. Eleven Years Gone

_Chapter dedicated to BunnyGirl6 and Cyber-Porygon. Thanks guys!_

* * *

"One-"

"_Lee?" Kyra pushed open the front door, shifting the weight of the paper bag in her arms. She slipped her shoes off as she the sound of light snoring came from the living room. She pushed the door closed behind her before heading down the hall. She set the bag down by the kitchen door gently as she peered through the living room door. She saw a mop of black hair sticking over the end of the couch._

_She leaned over the back of the couch, watching her sleeping husband and daughter. Lee was sprawled over the couch, Hotaru sleeping soundly on his chest. She reached down and played with his hair, twirling it around her finger into little curls. She tried not to laugh as she curled his hair; he looked rather funny. She finished the last curl and trailed her finger down to her daughter, stroking the baby's fingers softly. Hotaru shifted slightly, taking Kyra's finger in her small hand as she curled up. Kyra smiled and pulled her hand away gently._

"_How was shopping?" Lee took Kyra's hand; she hadn't noticed he had woken up. He picked Hotaru up and handed her to her mother and stretching out his sore muscles. Kyra pulled Hotaru close to her, placing her other hand on the baby's head; she had black hair like Lee. He stretched one last time before coming to stand behind his wife, one arm wrapped around her waist._

"_It was okay. I got a chance to talk to Hinata a little," she said, "And how was she today?" Hotaru moved in her sleep again, this time grabbing the front of Kyra's shirt in her tiny hands. Lee slipped past Kyra to open the door, grabbing the bag of groceries as he followed behind her to the kitchen. He lifted the bag onto the counter as Kyra slid Hotaru into her high chair so she could work freely. Lee stood off to one side and watched her empty the bag into the cupboards._

"_She cried once, but mostly she slept," He took on of the boxes and placed it on the shelf she couldn't quite reach, "Did you find everything you need?" She turned around to face him, leaning back against the hard wood of the countertop. She smiled at him._

"_Yes," she replied, "I found everything for the get together." She looked back at her daughter sleeping in her high chair. "It's almost hard to believe," she continued, "Only a few more days and she'll be having her first birthday." Lee nodded, leaning against the counter right next to her._

"_Yeah," he said, sliding his arm around her waist again as they stood there. He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips before sliding down to brush against her neck. He laughed lightly as her face turned the lightest shade of pink._

"Two-"

_Lee paced the white tile floor of the hospital waiting room as two pair of eyes watched him warily. Both Gai and Tenten sat nearby in the stiff plastic benches along the wall. There was no talking between any of them; there was just the silent anxiety thru out the room. Tenten shifted the sleeping Hotaru in her arms, trying to keep the feeling in her legs, yet trying not to wake the toddler._

"_Lee," Tenten sighed; he jumped slightly at the sudden noise, "Can you please sit down? It's bad enough without you pacing and making it worse." Lee stared at her apprehensively. He felt that it was the only way he could tolerate the nerve-racking wait to hear about his three-month pregnant wife._

"_Just let him Tenten," Gai said, fidgeting in his chair, "It helps him calm down." Lee cast a grateful glance towards his sensei before resuming his continuous pacing; Tenten didn't say anything else. Time passed as the nurse behind the desk started tapping absentmindedly on the folders in front of her. _

_Lee was beginning to have thoughts about running around the building a few times when Tsunade slipped into the room with Sakura trailing behind her. The three watched her as she asked for another patient file from the nurse who handed it to her obediently. She opened it, glancing over the contents before slipping back out again and leaving Sakura standing there. She didn't even look up at them before she left. _

"_Sakura?" Lee stepped up to stand in front of her while both Gai and Tenten remained where they were. Sakura didn't reply as she began to twiddle her thumbs. "How is she?" Sakura stopped and looked up at Lee before quickly looking back at her hands._

"_She's fine," she replied, "She wasn't hurt when she fell," She started to play with the frayed edges of her shirt. "She'll be discharged in a day or two after we run a few more tests." Tenten handed the toddler to Gai before coming to stand next to the pink haired nurse._

"_Did-?" Tenten didn't finish her sentence when Sakura nodded. She began to sob into her hands._

"_Yes," she said between sobs, "She had a miscarriage." _

"Three-"

_Kyra curled up against the harsh winter breeze around her, her right hand lying uselessly by her side. It was a dark night at the training grounds, the moon new and dark and she sat there. She sobbed again, curling up closer to keep herself from falling apart. She raised her hand up to her eyes; it still felt heavy and dead. She let it drop back to her side and as she sobbed._

_She knew shouldn't have run away like she had; she should have stayed and apologized for what she did. He didn't mean to get drunk, it wasn't his fault that someone had put sake in the drinks at the party and hadn't told him._

_He didn't know what he was doing when he started picking fights with people, but she was the one who had tried to restrain him. But she was scared when he had grabbed her shoulders and tried to kiss her when he was drunk. She hadn't even thought when she had pushed away and slapped him. Everyone had stopped and stared when she backed away and ran out the door as fast as she could. She began to cry._

"_Why'd I run?" she sobbed. She stayed where she was, ignoring the chill settling over her. It wasn't until she heard the crush of grass that she suddenly stood up. She turned to run off when Lee grabbed her wrist, spinning her around to face him. She tried to push away, but he held onto her tightly._

"_Kyra," One of his hands was on the back of her neck, "Kyra, listen to me." She stopped trying to push away, but she leaned away from him to keep some distance between them. He looked at the scrapes on her face and arms from trying to keep him under control. "I'm really sorry Kyra," he said; she broke down crying._

"_I'm sorry Lee," she cried, "I didn't mean to hurt you." He pulled her towards him, her face buried in his shoulder. He stroked her hair gently, something that had always helped calm her down._

"_It's not your fault," he muttered in her ear, "I shouldn't have scared you like that. I'm sorry." She wrapped her arms around him, her hands griping the back of his shirt. He embraced her tightly, burying his face into her hair. "Come on," he said, "Your freezing cold. I'll go to Sakura's to pick up Hotaru after I take you home, Okay?" Kyra nodded and wiped her cheeks on the sleeve of her dress and made a note to wash her face before her daughter came home. She wouldn't want her daughter see her with a tear-stained face. _

"Four-"

"_Mom!" Hotaru jumped into her mothers' hospital bed, knocking against the table nearby slightly, "Are you feeling better this morning?" Kyra laughed and pulled the toddler close to her, ruffling the energetic four-year-olds' shoulder black hair. _

"_Much better," she said as she stroked her daughters head, "Where's your father?" She turned her head towards the door when Lee cleared his throat. She smiled as he came to sit next to her bed. He took Hotaru onto his lap and the child traced the patterns in the wood._

"_Did you bring the list?" He nodded and pulled the paper out of his pocket, handing it to her. He watched her scan over the list of names, pausing every now and then to smile or frown. He looked carefully at her face, looking tired after being up almost all the night. There were circles under her grayish-green eyes and her hair was hanging in loose waves on her shoulders. She seemed slower than usual._

"_Are you okay?" She nodded and he slid his hand behind her neck as Hotaru hopped off his lap. As she leaned out of the open window nearby, he pulled Kyra over till she was almost sitting exactly where Hotaru was. She leaned against his muscled chest, nestling her head in his collarbone. "Any name that stands out?"_

"_Kado." _

"_Kado?" She nodded in response, keeping her head in his collarbone. He kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her waist, watching for the door to open. They waited there for several minutes before Sakura pushed her head in, smiling at the couple before someone opened the door for her. She handed a sleeping baby to Kyra and Lee, checking her clipboard._

"_He's a healthy little guy," she said, watching Kyra leaned back into Lee again, "He should be fine leaving tomorrow morning. Kyra?" Sakura grabbed Kyra's arm to keep the woman from falling. She called for a nurse as she took the child out of Kyra's limp arms. _

"_What's going on, Sakura?" Lee pulled his wife up close to him, trying to nudge her awake. "What's happening?"_

"_I don't know Lee," she said, handing the child to Kori. She made him set Kyra on the bed and put her hand on the unconscious girls wrists and forehead. "She's got a fever…" She looked at Lee's concerned face and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry Lee, she'll be fine. She's just exhausted; she'll be fine tomorrow. You should take Hotaru to Tenten's place; she'll look after her." He nodded, picking up his daughter. He looked back at Kyra before leaving._

"Five-"

"_Kyra, we're going to be late." Lee slid a coat onto Kyra's shoulders, over the thin-strapped dress. She continued to fumble with her purse as the two teenagers stood near the living room door._

"_Are you sure you'll be alright with watching them?" she asked, sliding the purse over her head carefully to not mess up her curled hair._

"_Don't worry Kyra," she said, holding Hotaru's hand carefully. The five year old stared up at her mother all dressed up for the party. "We'll make sure Kado doesn't put anything in his mouth that's not suppose to be." Isamu shifted said one-year-old in her arms. Lee opened the door and beckoned to Kyra._

"_We're going to be late if we don't leave now," he said, steering her out the door, "They know where to find us if something happens." She slipped into her shoes and reluctantly stepped out the door. Lee turned to talk over his shoulder. "We'll pay you when we get back girls." The door thudded shut behind him, leaving the two eighteen-year-olds with Hotaru and Kado._

"_Mom and Dad are getting back Aunt Tenten's anniversary party late right?" Hisa nodded and the five-year-old started back towards the living room. "Want to play some Shougi?" Both of the teenagers raised their eyebrows._

"_Sure." Hisa followed with Isamu following with Kado. Hotaru was going to be an interesting kid to baby-sit._

"Six-"

"_What's a girl doing out here alone?" Hotaru stopped and turned her body slightly, "Shouldn't you have someone with you?" She looked skeptically at the boy sitting on the bench nearby. He looked only a year older than her._

"_What does me being a girl have to do with training and being out here?" She turned to face him fully, planting her hands on her hips. Sweat ran down the side of her face from her exercises._

"_Nothing," he replied, "Just unexpected, that's all." He stretched out on the bench, his hands propped under his head. "Your Sensei's kid right?"_

"_And you're one of the students at the dojo," She remembered him on her frequent visits to deliver messages to her father, "Sato wasn't it?" He nodded. "Well," she continued, "It's nice to finally meet you. My father is very pleased with your progress." He smiled widely and looked up at the tree branches above him._

"_The pleasure's all mine."_

"Seven-"

"_I don't approve." Hotaru leaned against the wall next to the kitchen door, listening to the low mutters of her parents and the Hokage. There was the click of the dinner plates being taken from the table and slid into the sink. "I don't want her to go through the same thing I did."_

"_Think Kyra, with her intelligence she could graduate in a year or two." Hotaru knew that the Hokage was sitting by the table, probably with their arms crossed as they continued, "She'd be almost two years ahead of others her age. Think of the honor-"_

"_Honor doesn't makeup for the hardship of entering early," Hotaru was surprised by the cut to her mother's voice; she had never sounded mad. "I gained nothing from entering when I did. Other children wouldn't except her…"_

"_But-"_

"_I agree with her," she heard her father push his chair out, the legs scraping the wood floor, "Three years is too soon for her to enter. A year or two would seem more reasonable."_

"_Two years would be fine with me as well," Kyra replied; the Hokage sighed._

"_I can't force her to go," they said, "but why not let her decide on it? She can make up her own mind on what she wants."_

"_We will let her decide, but the most I'll allow is two years ahead." No one said anything after that. Hotaru knew her mothers' decision was final, and no one would go up against it. She made her way up to her room as the sound of her mother cleaning dishes came through the open doorway._

"Eight-"

"_Winner: Sato!" Hotaru punched the polished wood floor, cursing under her breath. Her long hair fell around her face in a tangled mess but she pushed it back behind her ear to glare at Sato._

"_Nice Fight," he panted pushing himself to his feet. Lee held out a hand to his seven-year-old daughter and she took it gratefully. Waiting as Sato walked towards them, she seemed satisfied with the obvious limp in his step. "I'm going to feel these tomorrow…" He poked at one of the bruises on his arm._

"_Same here."_

"_Good job Hotaru," Lee patted his daughter on the back, which she responded by glaring at him; she had a few bruises there. "Oops, sorry." He pointed back towards the door, "now you better get home before your mother comes herself to get you."_

"_I'll tell her you'll be late tonight." He nodded and waved her out the door to the dojo along with Sato. "Why'd he push you out?" she asked, "You can still train. It's not like I hit you to hard."_

"_He wouldn't let me if I wanted to," he replied while he pointed to several bruises and scrapes on his arms and legs. "Anyway," he continued, "he probably wanted me to make sure you got home safely." He seemed suddenly embarrassed as they started out towards her house._

"_No he doesn't."_

"_Why do you say that?"_

"_Because I'm only a year younger than you and have been bruised up worse than this," She watched his face turn red and smiled slyly. "You wanted to walk with me didn't you?" He tried to look defensive._

"_Did not!" He walked faster, trying to ignore her stare. "So I heard the Hokage recommended you enter the academy two years early. Congrats." She shook her head and decided to stare him down later._

"_I'm not going to take it," she said. He stared and her in disbelief._

"_Why not?" She grinned inwardly at the response she was planning on giving him._

"_I wouldn't want to make you look too pathetic," she replied, "What would people say if they knew a kid younger than you graduated before you even got in?" She laughed as he stared to sulk a little bit."_

"_Gee, I feel so special."_

"_I'm going to wait another year before I enter," she continued, "One, so I won't be too young-"_

"_That's nice."_

"_-and two so we can graduate together." He stopped suddenly, not that it mattered; they were right outside her doorstep._

"_Wait, wh-" She slipped through the door and closed the door. She left him standing there red in the face._

"Nine-"

_Hotaru grabbed her bag as she shoved a cloth bound journal into the pocket sew into her window curtains. Looking over herself in the mirror, she adjusted her shirt to straighten out the wrinkles in the fabric. There was a crash from down in the kitchen; Kado had dropped his bowl again. She grabbed a ribbon from her dresser and braided her hair over her shoulder as she ran down the stairs that led to her room in the attic._

"_You're going to be late Hotaru!" She heard her mother call form the kitchen._

"_I'm leaving now Mom," she replied, "I'll see you when I get home." She slipped her black sandals on as her mother came down the hall with the five year old poking his head out the kitchen door. _

"_Good luck sweetie," Her mother kissed her on the forehead before the girl opened to door._

"_I'll tell you about my first day when I get home Mom," she said. She waved to her navy-haired brother, "Bye Kado!" The little boy waved back at her with his sticky fingers._

"_Bye bye!" She smiled and ran to join Sato as her mother waved. He smiled as she joined him._

"_Ready?" he asked._

"_As ready as I'll ever be."_

"Ten-"

_Hotaru sat at the top of the stairs to her room, browsing through the book lying on her lap. She glanced down at her brother whose head was stuck in the railing. He tried to pull out, wining slightly when he couldn't. She set the book on the floor and slid down to sit next to the struggling six-year-old._

"_I told you not to do that anymore," she leaned over to grasp his head in her small hands, pulling them gently back though the bars along with him. He whined for a few seconds before he came free, falling back on her. He grunted when the wind was knocked out of her._

"_Thank you onee-san." She pulled him off to sit next to her instead of on her._

"_Why do you keep on doing that?" she asked, "You know you'll get stuck every time and I have to study." He smiled childishly at her._

"_Because you stop long enough to help me onee-san," he said, "I don't get to play with you as often now that your studying." She stared at her younger brother affectionately. It was true; she hadn't been spending as much time with him lately and their parents sometimes didn't come home till late._

"_Well," she said, "I think I've studied enough for one night. Want to play shougi?" He smiled as she helped him up._

"_You always beat me onee-san," He followed her down the stairs and into the living room, "I'm still not very good at it."_

"_You just need to practice," she said, "practice enough and you'll beat me one of these days." She saw him smile when she pulled out the board and set the pieces. She could always take time for her family._

"Where's the other two?" Eleven-year old Hotaru pulled out her desk chair, looked on the floor for her last two weights. She got down on her knees and ran her hand under the bed and bookshelves. _That's strange, _she thought, _I could have sworn I had them yesterday… _She stood back up, stretching out her now cramped back. She couldn't find them anywhere in her room.

"Hey Mom?" she called, "Have you seen two of my weights?" She stuck her head out though her door; Kado sat on the top step with said weights in his hands. "Never mind!" She leaned over her brothers' shoulder and took them out of his hands.

"Those are heavy," he said, looking up at her. She rolled her eyes slightly and slipped them into the place around her ankles.

"They have to be," she said, "I'm not going to be as fast as Dad if I don't use them." She ushered him down the stairs and into the kitchen where he mother stood at the counter. "I don't have to much time Mom. I'll just grab something before I head over to the dojo." Thirty-one year old Kyra smiled as she daughter grabbed a piece of toast from the plate on the table.

"Make sure you don't get into trouble," she said, watching her daughter dash back out through the door.

"As if I'm ever in trouble," she laughed and waved after her daughter, who was dashing out the door while trying to slip her feet into her sandals. "Dad and I will see you tonight!" Hotaru closed the door and ran towards Sato just down the road.

"Hurry up! We're going to be late!"

"You want to wear these?" she said, pointing to the stone weights, "I'm sure you would just _love _carrying thirty pounds on your legs!" She punched him in the arm. "Anyway, I had a little trouble finding these things this morning."

"I get it," he replied, "Let's just try to make it on time now." She sighed.

"Your so impatient."

"I'm glad you think that." She rolled her eyes.

"It's not a compliment."

"I know that."

"Good," she replied, "For a second there I thought you were a total idiot…" He punched her in the arm in response.

* * *

FINALLY! Sorry it took me so long to get this up. I was having major writer's block for this. I've also been busy editing another story. I hope you'll excuse the long wait.** I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

Unless you didn't notice, this was a timeskip chapter. Each number is another year (eleven years passed) From here on out, it will be more focused on Hotaru's life as an academy student and her personal life. _Yes, Firefly Wings is focused on Kyra's daughter._

-Kyra Odayashi

Reviews:

BunnyGirl6 - Thanks! I'm guessing you read the first story, Carnation's Voice, as well right? I'm really glad you like this story! Thanks for reviewing and sorry it took so long for this chapter!

Acea Rukojou - Thanks Acea! I didn't really have any choice with the OC's, I had to put them in there. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! BTW, your con pics rocked!


	5. Strange Subject

"Mom?" Lee and Hotaru both stuck their heads through the door to their home, waiting for the okay to come in with everything.

"It's clear!" Kyra was leaning against the kitchen doorframe, watching her daughter and rather playful husband. "Did you two pick everything up?" she continued as they stumbled through the door together, almost falling in a jumble of limbs. Lee managed to catch himself in time, while Hotaru fell to the floor on her butt, mumbling something along the lines of 'ladies first'. Kyra laughed and started towards them, coming to stand next to the hallway table.

"Kyra." Lee slipped his shoes off and pulled Kyra over to him, wrapping her in a tender hug and planting a kiss on her forehead. Kyra smiled despite herself before pretending to push him away.

"Don't try to distract me," she said, "you probably didn't pick something up did you?" Lee laughed and kissed her forehead again. Hotaru climbed to her feet and started brushing dirt off her clothes while she listened. She liked her parents, not only because each was a respectable ninja and a good team together, but also because they could express themselves with a lot more ease than other people. They could be playful around other people and not be embarrassed when they were silly.

_That's love_, she thought, _something expressed through ever action you do and word you say…_ She followed her parents into their small kitchen, setting her grocery bags next to her father's on the counter.

"How was training, Hotaru?" Hotaru smiled up at her mother and watched her woman dig through the bags for the hot red bean buns.

"Fine Mom," she said, catching a bun her mother tossed her. Lee did the same with less effort than his daughter. "So Sato came and picked Kado up for training like we planned?" Kyra nodded and took a small bite out of her own bun, tossing a few bowls out on the counter for cooking.

"Yes," she replied, "We have about four hours to get ready, and we need al the time we can get, so we'll be splitting up jobs."

"I'll wrap whatever I can," Hotaru volunteered; she thought that her parents both working together might be nice for them. Anyway, she was hoping to maybe jot something down in her journal in between wrapping jobs. Kyra smiled over at her daughter, emptying the bags carefully. She still managed to knock something off and accident and Lee caught it before it hit the floor.

"Actually, Hotaru, I was hoping you could help me down here," she said, "Your father can do wrapping…or at least I _think_ he's big enough to do that alone." She smirked and nudged Lee's arm playfully. Hotaru laughed when her dad pretended to think about that. "Now get going you baby," Kyra pushed Lee out the kitchen door and watched him until he opened the door to their room.

"You sure you don't want to spend time with Dad?" Hotaru asked, grabbing her mother's apron off the hook and handing it to her, "You two could work together and I could wrap the stuff." She stood patiently by her mother and watched her work. Truth was, Hotaru couldn't cook a single thing besides ramen or rice balls. She burned everything else she tried no matter how much help she got from her mother.

"I'm not only a wife Hotaru," she said, "I'm also your mother and I remember how much I bonded with my own mother in the kitchen." Hotaru watched her mother very carefully for any sign of sadness from mentioning her grandmother; she had that slight trace in her eyes. "I didn't have her as long as you've had me," she continued, "and I'll make sure that's a long time still." Hotaru didn't understand the smile touching her mother's eyes right then, after all, Kyra usually avoided that kind of talk.

"What's wrong Mom?" Hotaru asked, watching her mother work on several things at once, "you almost never talk about things like…" She trailed off when Kyra brought her face down to Hotaru's level, which was only eight inches below her. Kyra wondered when her daughter had gotten so tall.

"You're a lot like your father," she said, changing the subject, "give yourself another year or so and you'll almost be taller than me." She pretended to sulk. "I really need to teach you how to cook or else you'll turn into him entirely!" Hotaru played along and laughed, tucking the matter away until she could mull over it in the privacy of her room.

"I burn _everything_ Mom."

"But that's exactly how I started out," Kyra said, mixing as she spoke, " You just need to relax Hotaru. If you don't relax then you can't think clearly and do it right." Time passed quickly and Lee joined them halfway into the four hours, the only one who could help Kyra without completely messing up.

"Go rest up Hotaru. It'll be a rather hectic evening." Hotaru smiled and ran up to her room, closing the door silently behind her before running to her curtains. It took her only a moment to find the book tucked into a pocket hidden in the folds and as she took it out she grabbed a pen from the nearby desk.

_Finally,_ she thought, dropping onto her tan bed sheets and opening to the next blank page.

_ Not much time to write at the moment. It's Kado's birthday today and we've been busy puling together a surprise party. Knowing Kado, he figured it out this morning and will play along later when he comes home. So far the guests are just a lot of Mom and Dad's friends. That doesn't matter too much though. Kado takes after Mom that way, preferring to stay around the adults than kids his own age. Sato is coming too! Mom let me invite him over so I would have someone my age to talk to…_

Hotaru paused for a few minutes, listening to the laughter coming from down stairs. She decided that right then was a good time to think about her mother's conversation. Her mother had seemed so…calm talking about it. It unnerved Hotaru that her Mom was fairing well emotionally in that particular area. But still…

_ Something Mom said earlier bugged me. She started talking about her mother and how little time she had with her. But that's not what bugged me. She made it seem like she was preoccupied with something else she had said. I don't think I'll talk about this with Sato though…it's something that I need to figure out on my own. Dad seems preoccupied sometimes too…he's just suddenly out of it when he's at the dojo. Sure, he worries about Mom, but it doesn't affect him very much when training._

_ Anyway, I'll have to continue later tonight before I go to bed. I need to rest a little before the party._

Hotaru closed the book, saving her spot with her pen and rolling back onto the sheets. Her eyes were closed but she couldn't doze off. _'I'll make sure that's a long time still'…_ she mulled, _what does she mean by that? Such a strange topic for Mom…_ Hotaru felt a nice heaviness hover over her mind and she relaxed her body, drifting off with one last thing running through her head.

'_I didn't have her as long as you've had me…'_

**

* * *

**HI! I finally got done with this chapter! Sorry it took so long! School stinks! Anyway, important stuff in this chappy...mostly because it gives you alittle insight into Hotaru's character and personality. I know I didn't give alot of insight from Kyra's of Lee's view, but if I did it would give away alot of the details in this that people need to catch. But since barely anyone reads these little notes, I don't have to worry about people figuring things out. To those who read these...power to you. Grr!

Unfortunatly..I can't do the party because I just am not good at tieing in alot of people. But I will do the scene after which will also be important!

-**Kyra Odayashi**

Reviews:

_Acea Rukojou- _New chapter! This one's for you since I don't think any other people really pay attention to this story. Love you guys! Call me on the weekends (cell please). And yes..I know that that one scene is sad..It broke my heart to write something so sad...but I really need to show that Kyra and Lee don't always have happy moments (And even they have fights..but not as big as others do probably). Hotaru really is an interesting girl to follow and she actually gives alittle insight (insight's my word of the day!) into how Kyra was when she was her age and younger.


	6. No I don't!

"Kado, it's time for bed!" Hotaru took the remaining plates from her mother and set them in the sink. Lee leaned against a counter nearby, gulping down a glass of water while Kyra stood in front of her now eight-year-old son. He looked disappointed.

"But Mom," he started, "I'm old enough to stay up and help clean up!" He pretended to pout, looking up at his mother with sad eyes; something he had learned from watching his father pull. Kyra cast a glare in her husband's direction when he practically spit out his water.

"Hey, don't look at me," he said, "I didn't teach him that." Hotaru turned towards the sink and smiled; of course he hadn't…she had taught him. She picked up the first plate and scrubbed it thoroughly before setting it on a dry towel nearby.

"It's your birthday Kado," Kyra sighed, "and you'll need your sleep anyway. We'll be getting up early to train together before I leave on my mission." Hotaru peered out of the side of her eyes and watched her mother gently steer Kado out the door and up to his room. "Don't stay up late reading either," Kyra said as she closed the door, "Those books are meant for while I'm gone the next few days." Hotaru tried not to laugh; Kado couldn't stay away from them now more than ever.

"Night Mom."

"Night Kado." Hotaru turned back towards the dishes, eager to finish and get back to her own room; she felt pretty tired herself. "Hotaru," she turned towards her mother, "you should get to bed too; long day ahead of you."

"I can help Mom." Kyra smiled and took the plate from her daughter's wet hands, coming to stand in front of the sink.

"Go sleep honey." Hotaru smiled and kissed her parents goodnight, running up the stairs two by two. It didn't take to long for her to update whatever she could into the journal and shoving it back into its hiding place and she gladly changed into her nightclothes before dropping into bed.

_What a night…_ she thought. She heard the faint creaks coming from her brother's room and assumed that he was reaching for his book just about then. She shifted through the book and scroll titles in her mind, contemplating which was the one he would go for first. She knew her brother enough to guess it would be one of the older histories on the countries. She had read a few of those in class the year before…they weren't so boring after you got past the old way of saying things.

_My bracelet…_ She remembered the old chain was still sitting on the counter by the sink. She thought of running downstairs to get it, but she was starting to drift off and she pulled the covers over herself, sinking into the comfort of sleep.

* * *

Hotaru opened her eyes; it had only been two hours since she had fallen asleep. She turned and closed them again, hoping to sink back into the dream she faintly remembered she had been having… She opened her eyes again, staring at the opposite wall.

It hadn't been a dream, she remembered, but a nightmare. She remembered the faint image of her parents, both beaten and bloody. She shivered and sat up in bed, setting her feet on the wood. It didn't squeak beneath her as she crossed over to her desk, sinking into the chair and propping her head on her palms.

_Just a dream, _she thought, _just a dream and nothing more. A fabrication of images locked somewhere in my head…_ It took several minutes of deep breaths and repetitions of those words before her body started to relax. _So much for sleep,_ she continued grimly, _I guess I can go my bracelet now since I'm awake. _She didn't bother slipping anything on her feet; everyone would most likely be asleep by then and she wouldn't want to wake her parents up; the creaks were still coming from her brother's room…so he was still reading.

She opened the door, surprised by the very faint light still coming through the kitchen door at the bottom of the stairs. She slipped out, leaving it just open enough to slip in when she was done. The floor didn't creak or groan beneath her rather light weight as she carefully tread downstairs. She was just coming to the door when she heard her father.

"Are you sure you can still go?" Hotaru stopped by the door, hidden out of the pathway of light. She was puzzled over his choice of words. '_Still_ go'? He had never asked that before. It was usually 'do you still have to go?' or 'Hokage won't let you out of it?'…never 'are you sure you can still go?' She didn't move any closer than necessary to hear the conversation.

"Sakura gave me a check up," she heard her mother reply, "She says I'm still capable of missions…" Hotaru's heart skipped a beat. 'Capable'? What did that mean?

"You could always ask to skip out on this one-"

"No Lee," her mother said sternly. Hotaru could imagine her father looking for something to say before closing his mouth again; it happened every time. "I don't think anything serious will happen this early," she said, "Sakura herself said I'm as fit as Hotaru." Hotaru held back a snicker as her mother joked around.

"Alright," Lee said, giving in to what Hotaru suspected was one of her mother's gentle smiles; even Hotaru could escape those without feeling a little guilty. "But be careful," he continued, "don't drop hot water on yourself, 'kay?"

"Hey! That was years ago!" Lee laughed and Hotaru peeked around the bottom of the doorway. Her father was sitting on one of the chairs, having pulled Kyra onto his lap where she pretended to pout as he laughed. Hotaru smiled as she watched them. Her parents got along so well, always turning whatever arguments into jokes and playful fights. She slipped back out from the doorway and stood up, sneaking over to the stairs and purposely making a noise like she was coming down. She walked to the doorway again, poking her head into full view.

"Hotaru, sweetie, what are doing up so late?" Her mother stood, coming to stand in front of the doorway, "Did you have a nightmare?" Hotaru smiled at her mother.

"No," she replied, "I just woke up and remembered I had left my bracelet down here. I came to get it." She skipped around her mother, grabbing the trinket from off the counter.

"That's the one Sato gave you isn't it?" Lee asked. Hotaru looked at him in surprise and raised an eyebrow. He quickly raised his hands and continued. "He had asked me what your favorite color was once after practice," he clarified; he, in turn, raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Do you have a crush on him?"

"No I don't!" Hotaru answered quickly. Her parents exchanged smiles and looked back at her. She had blown it this time; never answer quickly when you're denying something…

"Sure sweetie," her mother said as she guided Hotaru to the door, "Now go to bed. And tell your brother to stop reading and get some rest. The Hokage could probably here him with all the noise he's making.

"Yes Mom…" Hotaru replied, adding a light layer of sarcasm for the heck of it before running upstairs and opening her brother's door suddenly. He was laying face down on the bed. "You can't try to pull that, Kado." She said, watching her brother sigh and roll over to look at her.

"You could hear me?" he asked, tucking the old history scroll under his pillow.

"Mom says so too." She closed the door on her brothers surprised face, going back to her own room to collapse on the bed and mull over what she heard before falling into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Hello...I'm back again! I'm sorry if this isn't as good as the others, but my brain is fried from studying Geometry so I can't think. I think I'll go get Icecream to help...

Anyway, I thought I would start introducing the real beginning to a plot (Or whatever). I hope whoever does read this likes it and I hope to see you (You all?) next chapter. I've resolved that no matter how few reviews I get, I shall never give up and shall always continue this story till the end! Bye bye!

-Kyra Odayashi

**Reviews:**

_Acea Rukojou (My only reviewer now) -_ Thanks for the review buddy. I'm glad you like the story so far! This is a plot that I'm not going to tell you about, unlike the last one where I told you the plot before you read it. So this time, things will come as a surprise! And I thought that I'd make Kado more like Kyra and Hotaru like Lee (going off the whole thing where girls look more like their dads and boys look more like their moms)...so yeah, Hotaru can only make Ramen and even then she has the chance of burning it.

**This chapters to you Acea since your the only reviewer! Love ya!**


	7. Flying Monkeys stole my book

"Did either of you get any sleep?" Hotaru opened one eye and looked up at her mother. She was lying rather comfortably on the grass near the training posts. Kado was next to her, and apparently had already fallen asleep. "I told you two to get to bed early," Kyra continued, "now your sleeping during training."

"I couldn't sleep last night," Hotaru yawned, "and it's not Kado's fault he's such a bookworm." She received a light punch in the arm from said brother; so maybe he hadn't fallen asleep quite yet. Kyra sighed and smiled down at her two children, both ready to pass out from exhaustion.

"We better get them home Lee," she said over her shoulder, "I think poor Kado's fallen asleep…" She got a rather mushy objection.

"I'm just a little tire-" Kyra laughed and slid her arms under her son, pulling him up to carry him home. Lee in turn hoisted Hotaru up onto his back. Hotaru put up a fuss at first before she herself started to doze against her father's shoulder. It wasn't until she was set onto their living room couch that she had the slightest clue were she was.

"I coulda' walked by myself…" she muttered. Her father ruffled her hair lightly and left the room to get Kyra's travel pack from her mission. Kyra stayed behind to tuck Kado and Hotaru under a blanket.

"Be good while I'm gone," she said, "And don't let you father let Kado eat to much junk food." Hotaru nodded as her father came back into the room, handing a backpack to Kyra. She slid it onto her shoulders and kissed her daughters' and her sons' forehead lightly. "Remember," she said, "No trouble." Lee followed her out of the room; Hotaru could still hear them from down the hall.

"Tenten promised to stop by later and cook them dinner,"

"I could cook something," her father answered, "I can manage two days." She could imagine her mother smiling again.

"Let's not subject them to too much of your cooking," she replied, "They consider it cruel and unusual punishment to children." Lee objected as Kyra laughed. There was a second of silence, which Hotaru assumed was because her father was kissing Kyra goodbye, before the door opened.

"Take care," her mother called, "I love you!" Hotaru waited from her father's reply before she started to give up to sleep.

"Love you too." Hotaru smiled; some things never changed.

Five hours and plenty of shuteye later, Hotaru stretched out under the warm blanket thrown over her. Kado was still sound asleep next to her, barely moving at the sudden shift in weight on the couch, and seemed to have laid his head on the only pillow. Hotaru pulled the blanket up around her little brother and stood up a little more carefully this time. There was voices coming from the kitchen next door; Tenten must have just got there.

"Are you sure it's all right, Sakura?" Hotaru stopped by the door. Why was Sakura there? Mom hadn't said anything about her stopping by.

"I think this will probably be it," came her reply, "I know she loves being an active shinobi and all, but she doesn't have much of a choice now. It's too dangerous for her to continue like this…" There was a long sigh and the sound of a glass being set on the table.

"She'll-" The floorboard beneath Hotaru creaked unexpectedly and he stopped talking suddenly. "I'm afraid we'll have to continue this later," he continued, "I think one of the kids is up." Hotaru started to move back towards the living room as chairs moved around in the kitchen.

"We'll talk again this afternoon at your checkup," Sakura replied. Hotaru slid noiselessly onto the couch as the door down the hall opened and closed quietly. She stretched again and stood up as Lee came into the room.

"Feeling better?" She nodded and smiled up at her father. "Good. What about Kado?" Hotaru pointed flagrantly at the still sleeping boy as he shifted on the cushions.

"Miso…" he muttered, " …flying monkey's…stole my book…" Lee and Hotaru quickly covered their mouths to keep from laughing out loud. Kado sure was interesting to listen to when he was sleep talking. Hotaru quickly followed her father into the kitchen where both of them burst out laughing.

"I didn't know Kado still talks in his sleep," Lee said through his laughing fit; he sat down so he wouldn't fall over.

"You'd be surprised what he says in the middle of the night!" Hotaru replied, finally managing to calm down and sit in one of the kitchen chairs next to her father, "By the way, was that Sakura I heard leaving when I got up?" Lee coughed and looked at the clock on the wall.

"Aren't you suppose to be going somewhere with Sato today?" Hotaru looked up at the clock and jumped back to her feet. She had a date (well…sort of) with him in ten minutes! She ran upstairs and threw on a clean pair of cloth along with some perfume to cover up the smell of sweat, grabbed her bag, and raced back downstairs in a matter of seven minutes.

"Why are you in such a rush?" Lee asked, smiling at her from the table, "You're not going on a date, are you?" Hotaru felt her face warm up as she downed a glass of water, nearly choking on it in the process.

"No!" she nearly shouted, "It's just to go see that new movie that came out with a few friends from school!" She heard a light knock on the door and raced out of the kitchen. "I'll see you tonight Dad!" She closed the front door with the image of her father smiling at the table in her mind.

* * *

Sorry it isn't long...I just couldn't think of what else to put in there. Anyway, to you my dear Acea this chapter is made! Enjoy! I'm typing up a super cute Kyra and Lee scene for later in the story at the moment because I have the puuuurfect idea for it.

Oh and Acea...UPDATE YOUR STORY!!!

-Kyra Odayashi

Review:

_Acea - You'll have to wait to get the super cute scene...muahahahaha! Suffer while you wait for it!_


	8. Shougi

"See you tomorrow at practice!" Hotaru waved as she watched the retreating back of Sato. He raised a hand in response and she smiled; it was his way of saying 'see you soon'. She was still watching him head down the street when the door behind her opened. She didn't have time to turn around before she was tackled.

"You're finally home!" her brother exclaimed, "It's been so boring here since dad left for his check up!" He let go of her waist, where he had so conveniently latched himself, and sat on his heels. "Will you play some shougi with me?" Hotaru pushed herself up till she was standing on her own two feet again and helped her brother up as well.

"Alright, alright…" she said, pushing him inside, "But give me a few minutes to change into something comfortable for around the house." He raced to the living room; she guessed he had found the candy Lee had hidden in the cupboard. Climbing up the stairs and into her room, she grabbed the loose shirt and shorts on the floor and changed; she was glad to be able to move a little more freely than before. Sure, she liked her nice clothes, but it was nice to have something comfortable to wear.

"Hotaru!" Her brother whined and she pushed open the door to the hall.

"I'm coming, Kado," she yelled back, "Just give me another minute!" She jumped over the banister and landed on the wood floor lightly; her mother would scold her if she had seen that. Running to the bathroom, Hotaru splashed her face and dried it on her towel and ran back to the living room. Deciding that it was all right since her dad did it all the time, she jumped over the back of the couch, landing on the soft cushions.

"You know mom doesn't like that," Hotaru stuck her tongue out and they laughed. They started the first game, which stretched out for a good thirty minutes before Hotaru won, snagged some candy from the kitchen, and finally settled on the couch. Kado curled up with a history scroll stretched out on his legs; Hotaru went over facts and Jutsu's in her head. The graduation exams were only a week away and she hope to pass with Sato the first time through. Both of them sat there in silence for about ten minutes before Hotaru opened her mouth.

"I think Tenten's outside…" she said; sure enough, there was the sound of footsteps before the rap against the wood, "Coming!" Hotaru jumped over the back of the couch again and walked down the hall to the door. "Who is it?" she asked innocently.

"Just open the door Hotaru," came Tenten's voice, "Or else I'll let you eat your fathers cooking for all three days." Hotaru opened the door slightly and peaked out; Tenten raised an eyebrow and pushed the door open with her foot. Taking one of the bags hanging off of the woman's arms, Hotaru followed her towards the kitchen. She set the bag on the counter and jumped up to sit on the countertop with her brother who had followed them after they passed the living room door.

"So what's with all the bags?" Tenten started to grad things and shove them in the cupboards. "It looks like we're ready for a bombing…" Tenten shot a look at her.

"I picked up groceries for your father and mother," she said, turning back to her work, "Your parents have enough on their minds at th-" At this point, Kado accidentally slid off the counter and fell on his backside. Hotaru ignored this normal case of klutziness and surprise.

"'at the' what?" She asked as her brother picked himself off the floor, "What's on their minds?" Tenten coughed and stayed silent. Seeing that she could get no information out of the stubborn woman, she went to think in her room and write a little in her journal.

* * *

_ I know you could kill me for the short chapter, but I have writers block and I'd rather give you something to mull over than not update for two more weeks. So here it is. _

_-Kyra Odayashi_

**Reviews:**

Acea: W00t to you too if you'd UPDATE YOUR STORY! Love ya girl!

Usagi Toru: Now I can't tell you what's going to happen now can I?

See ya next chapter girls!


	9. Little Brown Book

"Please?" Kado looked up at Tenten's face.

"No." She turned back to scrub at the dishes while Hotaru watched the spectacle. It was entertaining.

"Pretty please?" Kado puckered his lips and looked at her. His father used the same expression when he was trying to get something. "Pretty please Tenten-sama?" Hotaru saw the woman shrug her shoulders; she was weakening…

"Pwease?" The child voice; he was puling out all the stops. The woman seemed to growl a little. Hotaru knew that their plan had backfired.

"If you ask one more time, Kado," she threatened, "I'm going to ground you! And don't say I can't; your mother said I could if I had too!" Kado slinked over to the chair next to Hotaru. After a near grounding two days before, they had dropped the subject and had waited for the perfect moment to spring their backup plan. The scheming duo had failed again to get some word out of Tenten. She was pretty resistant; even their mother had trouble refusing that face most of the time.

"When's Dad getting home?" Hotaru asked, playing with the loose string on her sleeve. "He wanted so much to be here when she got home." She yawned on the last word and her brother stifled a laugh. He had buried his nose in his last book; the rest had been finished the last two days (there had been ten of them).

"He said he was thinking about meeting her at the gate…" Tenten looked up at the clock; they should be home in about an hour. Great…more time with the children who teamed up to get their information…

"So what are we going to do?" Hotaru asked, swinging her feet like a child.

"That's up to you," Tenten replied, drying the last dish in her hand, "You could always go do some studying. Your test is in three days and you need to be prepared." Hotaru grumbled; she was the least likely person in her class to need extra study, her mother had made sure of that.

"Or you came help clean this place up before she gets home." The woman eyed the overflowing trashcan, "Seeming, as you can't cook anything that doesn't have charcoal in it…" Hotaru jumped off her chair and her feet hit the cold floor.

"That I can do," she chirped; she didn't mind cleaning, "Dad doesn't clean up very well…" She grabbed the trash and heaved it outside before running back to work on the living room; books were scattered everywhere.

"Kado!" He brother came running. Tenten watched in amusement._ I should take them to my place, _she thought.

After ten minutes of picking up books and paper, the living room was presentable. Kado ran upstairs to do his own room in a hurry (Hotaru always kept hers clean) while the still pre-pre-teenager yanked open the door to her parent's room. It was a regal mess; Kyra wouldn't be happy if she saw this. In fact, she would probably take all her time cleaning it than catching up on sleep like Lee always wanted her to. Clothes were slung over the back of the desk chair and the edge of the bed, papers where piled haphazardly across the desk with some spilling over the edge, and the bed's sheets were lying on the floor next to the bed they should be on.

"I have my work cut out for me…" Hotaru muttered to herself. She set to work, starting with the clothes-most of which where thrown in the hamper- and moved to the desk to organize the papers. She was shifting though the stacks to find the end of the dojo papers and the start of her mother's old experiments when an old leather book fell off the shelf underneath the desk.

Hotaru finished sorting out the papers into their rightful stacks before she bent to pick it up, turning it over in her hands to find the title; there was none. She flipped open to the first page to find her mothers neat handwriting. It was a sort of journal, not so much different from her own except for the dates starting back from more than thirteen years. She hesitated as her hands moved to the back of the book; did she really want to look at this? It was her mother's private thoughts for her and, most likely, Lee.

"Hotaru, I'm done!" Hotaru closed the book and set it back on the shelf. "Hotaru?" Kado stuck his head in the door; she turned around to face him with a smile.

"Help me with the bed and we're done," she said, "Tenten took care of the kitchen and hallway already." She grabbed the first sheet lying on the floor and her brother grabbed the other corner, pulling it over the bed. After both of them made the bed the way Kyra had taught them, they ran back out the door. Hotaru took one last look at the desk before she shut the door.

…

"Sorry we're late!" Kyra ducked through the door that Lee held open from her, slipping her shoes off right next to the door. Kado hit her first, tackling her around the waist and sending her backing up into her husband. "Okay Kado," she laughed, "let me breathe first." He released her and went to the kitchen to wait for them and avoid any questioning.

"How as the mission Mom?" Hotaru asked, taking the bag in her mother's arm. She saw that it had been the reason for them being late; they had stopped to pick up Kyra's favorite snack.

"It was okay," she mother said, "Nothing special about this one." Lee slipped in behind her, closing the door and taking off his own shoes. Kyra's travel bag was slung over his shoulder; Hotaru knew that it was heavier than it looked. "So how many books does Kado have left?" Kyra asked walking down the hall with her daughter as Lee deposited the bag in their room.

"One…" Kyra laughed as she entered the kitchen; it was a lighter sound than usual. Tenten came over to say hello. "Would you like to eat with us, Tenten?" She shook her head and smiled.

"No thanks," she replied, "I have someone waiting for me to cook back home." She winked at Kyra and they laughed; Lee rolled his eyes slightly and Kado pretended to choke himself. "I'll see myself Kyra," she continued, "I think they've been waiting to eat until you got home." She chuckled and closed the door behind her when she left.

"You guys haven't eaten yet?" Kyra asked skeptically, grabbing the apron from its hook on the wall. "What am I going to do with you three?" Dinner passed and everyone settled in the living room. Hotaru sat on the couch, her study books and scrolls once again pushed up on her lap, while Kado playing Shougi with his mother. Kyra sat on Lee's back while he did pushups. It was the normal evening routine. Many times, Hotaru would look up at her mother, her expression somewhat puzzled. She always looked away before her mother saw her. She kept having thoughts about the little book…

"Hotaru?" She looked up at her mother's face; she was looking at her with concern, "Something wrong? Or is the work just frustrating you?" Hotaru nodded and shoved the papers onto the table.

"Yeah." She twisted to lay on the couch with her face looking over the edge. "It's hard to believe I only have three days left before I become a Genin and get assigned to my cell."

"If you even become a Genin," Kado injected. Hotaru threw pencil in his direction; he caught it easily. "You never know…"

"I highly doubt I won't pass," she argued, "Sato and I are the top two in our class, we're shoo-ins for Genin." Kyra smiled at her daughter's confidence.

"But there's always that if dear…" Hotaru sighed and looked back at her mother.

"I know." Lee let himself drop to the floor suddenly, sending Kyra sprawling. She rolled to her back and kicked Lee's shoulder lightly as all of them laughed.

* * *

Here's a longer chapter that took some time but was a fun thing to write. OH THE MYSTERY! WHAT'S IN KYRA'S JOURNAL???!???! Lol, I'm alittle bored and the story should start taking shape now that 1) you have a basci understnading of Hotaru and Kado and 2) It's about the right time to anyway...

See you next Chapter!

**-Kyra Odayashi**

Review (Cry cry, I only got one):

_Acea - Of course I'll continue! Though I must let you know that this is a sort of writing exercise for me. I'm developing better/more realistic characters that are also older than my usual group, More realistic families, better plots, better writing skills/forshadowing...AND YOU HAVEN'T UPDATED YET!!! Blah!_


	10. The Exams

"Go to the room across the hall when your name is called," the teacher droned, "You perform the exam and receive your results immediately. Good luck to all of you…" Hotaru fidgeted in her seat in the third room, watching anxiously as he left. The room was silent as the students waited for the first name; they were surprised when two were called at once, neither in alphabetical order. She watched the boy next to her stand up and shuffle towards the door, swearing under his breath.

"Hello? You there?" Sato leaned over her desk from his chair in the row in front of her, "What're you thinking about?"

"Nothing…" she said, "…just wondering what's going on in there." Sato glanced at the other students, all of who were muttering and whispering among themselves, before jumping over to sit next to her; some of the girls nearby stared at him with wide eyes.

"Probably trying to make the process go faster," he stated, "There are a lot more students to test than last year." Hotaru nodded and tapped impatiently on her book while Sato stretched out in his chair to relax. They didn't exchange many words; Sato eventually dozed off with an annoyed expression on his face. Hotaru assumed it was from the long wait.

She watched the other students be called out in pairs, each one probably just as worried as she was. Eventually she picked up her book to try and help her to relax, yet none of the words really registered in her mind. She tried to concentrate, shutting out all other sounds and thoughts until she was able to understand what exactly she was reading. It was one of her brothers birthday presents that he had lent her on the condition that she wouldn't damage or lose it. She had only finished five pages when someone tapped her shoulder.

"Hey, it's our turn." She looked up at Sato, who was now standing next to her chair, and set her book down.

"What?" He smiled and helped her out of her chair. The sudden butterflies in her stomach made her feel queasy.

"They called our names." He replied simply, letting go of her once she was on her feet. Maybe that queasy feeling was from the food her father had attempted to make her that morning…

"A-already?" she croaked, "Both of us?"

"There are only four people left after us," Sato stated, raising an eyebrow at her. She glanced around the room; he was right. She walked past him when he held out his arm from her to go ahead of him, her shoulders slightly hunched. She didn't know why exactly she should have been nervous; she knew the jutsus, the histories, and everything they had been taught.

So why was she practically shaking? She had no clue.

She pulled open the door, crossing the hall and stopping in front of the door to the examination room. Sato stopped behind her and waited patiently. She couldn't reach out to open the door herself. He sighed and reached around her, yanking open the door and pushing her inside while he followed, closing the door behind him. Their teacher sat behind the desk with two other shinobi with the last few headbands spread out on the tabletop.

"Hotaru Rock and Satoshi Kai," their teacher started, "your test is a fight." They both glanced at each other with shocked expressions; this was far from what they were expecting. One of the other shinobi cleared his voice and continued.

"It doesn't matter if you win or lose," he continued, "You'll be judged on the abilities that you've learned." He tossed two kunai, one for each, and leaned back in his chair. "Begin at any time…"

Hotaru jumped back as Sato brought his leg up in a swift kick, landing on her feet and then charging back towards his exposed back, clamping onto the kunai with her teeth. He ducked, swinging his leg around again to knock her off her feet; she jumped over it, cart wheeling to the right in the opposite direction.

She bent her arm, dropping her legs down so she could crouch and then try and knock him over. She made contact with his leg, kicking it out from under him. He fell back and she dropped her foot onto his stomach. The air rushed out of her lung when his foot also made contact with her chest, knocking her back a few feet.

This gave him enough time to get back on his feet. She put her hands behind her and flipped back onto her own feet, grabbing the kunai from her mouth and pulling back to a defensive position while he charged at her. The two weapons clashed again and again he attacked, each time pushing her back an inch. She waited until there was a slight pause in his blows and shifted her kunai till it lay along the inside of her wrist. She ducked under his arm, spinning until they were back to back and her kunai was hovering over his throat.

"It's a tie." Hotaru saw Sato's kunai out of the corner of her eye; it hovered at the edge of her own throat. He was in the exact same position as her. She cursed under her breath and she hear Sato chuckle under his. "You can stop fighting now," the shinobi stated. They both relaxed and stepped away from each other, waiting for the final decision. Their teacher looked at both of the shinobi and nodded.

"Congratulations," he said, "You both pass the exams." Hotaru breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Sato, but he was still looking at the instructors. She was puzzled; why wasn't he excited? They had both passed and he seemed worried more than happy. She still thought about his behavior when they handed her her headband. It wasn't until they were back in the hall that he started to talk.

"Guess the first obstacle is behind us," he muttered, "and one more to go."

"What do you mean? We passed the exam; you should be happy!" He looked her in the eyes with a scowl on his face.

"What if we're not on the same team?" Hotaru stopped outside the door to the room where the instructors had told them to wait until the exam was over. She hadn't thought about the three-man cells at all. She had been so worried about passing the exam with Sato that she hadn't thought about the possibility that they might not be on the same team.

What if they were split up?

* * *

SORRY! Don't kill me even though I haven't updated in Four months. My computor kept dieing on me and I would lose my chapters. That should be fixed now that I have my laptop, so I'll try and update more often for both of my stories. Sorry for the long wait!!! And my sucky cliffhanger!

-Kyra

Reviews:

Tohru- technically it already said what the book was. ;-)

Acea- You've had 4 months...and you STILL HAVEN'T updated! Maybe I shouldn't update until you do...then you might never know the rest if the story. Love ya girls!


End file.
